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3 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

I T. A. EGAN. BELT STI'I'GHING MACHINE.

Patented May 19, 1896.

II I

INVEN TOR WITNESSES:

M TTURNEYS ANDREW BGRAHAM. PHD'TO-UTHO.WASHINGTDN. D c

' (No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. A. EGAN.

BELT STITGHING MACHINE.

No. 560,201 Patented Maj 19, 1896.

Br %-mw A M M ATTORNEYS :w RAHAMPHOT u-m vwAs I GI'OILDC T. A. EGAN.

. BELT STITGHING MACHINE.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. v

(No Model.)

IN VE N TOR latented May 19 WITNESSES. W

ll rromvzrs ANDREW B GIAMMAPKUTUU'DIQWASMINGTUN DC UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

THOMAS A. EGAN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE NElV JERSEYCAR SPRING AND RUBBER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BELT-STITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,201, dated May 19,1896.

Application file September '7, 1895. Serial No. 561,746. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EGAN, a resident of Jersey City, Iludsoncounty, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Belt-Stitching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to belt-stitching machines, and has for its objectto produce a simple, cheap, and efficient machine which IO will stitchor sew a belt, meantime feeding the belt to the sewing mechanism fromtwo different directions.

To this end my invention consists in the construction hereinafter setforth and claimed.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an end ele- 2o vation looking in the direct-ion ofthe arrow in Fig. I. Fig. is an enlarged broken-away detail view showingthe pawl-and-rat'chet feed mechanism for the feed carriage and theshifter-bar thereof, the view being partly in 2 5 section, the sectionbeing taken on line 3 3 of Fig. Fig. i is a section of thepawl-andratchet feed mechanism on line -i a of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section of the shifter-bar on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 isa side elevation of the machine, lookingfrom right to left across Fig.

1. Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan detail view,

partly in section, showing the shifting mechanism for operating theshifter-bar of the pawl-and-ratchet feed mechanism. This view 5 is takenon the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

Stated in generalterms the apparatus which I have shown, and whichconstitutes one form of my invention, consists of a sewing-machineproper and mechanism forfeedin g the belt longitudinally to thesewing-machine and mechanism for reciprocating the belt laterally at thesame time that it is fed forward longitudinally, so that the line ofstitches will run, not longitudinally of the belt, but in a zigzagdirection on the belt. The mechanism for reciprocating the belt in alateral direction conof a feed-carriage fed forward and backward bywell-defined step-bystep movements bymeans of a suitably drivenmechanism, the

step-by-step feed bearing a definite fixed ratio to the movements of thesewing-needle.

, a, which meshes with the rack o.

The invention further consists in means hereinafter described andclaimed for reversing the movement of the feed-carriage.

In the drawings, A is a suitable bed-plate upon which the sewing-machineC is mounted. This sewing-machine is adapted to sew or stitch the beltB, which is fed forward by the usual gripper feed-rolls a b and guidedby the usual guides c d. The gripper feed-roll a is hung loosely uponthe rod 6 and movable laterally thereupon. This rod 6 is carried in astirrup or hanger f, mounted upon a rockshaft g, which is provided witha rocking handle h, so that the shaft maybe rocked to raise or lower theroller a in order to remove the belt from the rolls or to adjust thedistance of the rolls apart. The gripper feed-roll b is mounted upon ashaft 2', which is inserted in and movable longitudinally through a pairof brackets j. Splined upon this shaft 2' is a ratchet-wheel k withwhich cooperates a pawl Z, carried upon a link 'm, (see Fig. 2,) whichis swung by a connecting-rod 12, worked by an eccentric 0 upon the mainshaft D of the sewing-machine.

The main shaft D, which drives the sewingmachine is supported at its endin a bearing 1) and reciprocates the connecting-rod n in order to stepthe ratchet 70 around so as to ro- 8o tate the shaft 1' and the gripperfeed-roll Z). The rotation of this gripper feed-roll Z) is transmittedto the loose gripper feed-roll a, and the movement of the two rollsserves to feed the belt 13 longitudinally through the machine. Theguides 0 (Z are mounted upon a rod g, which passes through perforatedlugs or brackets 'r s. The rod 1 and the shaft 1 are connected by crossbars or braces 25 a, which in turn are connected by a rack v, the 0whole constituting a feed-carriage for the gripper feed-rolls and theadjustable guides.

It will be obvious that a back-andforth movement of the feed-carriagewill cause the gripper feed-rolls and guides to be recipro- '5 catedacross the line of longitudinal feed of the belt. This reciprocation maybe effected by the following mechanism: Rising from the bed-plate of themachine are standards w 00, in which are journaled shafts y ,2. The rooshaft y carries a ratchet-wheel b and a pinion The shaft 2 carries apinion c and the ratchet-wheel (1. Located in the space between theratchets b d is a double-faced pawl e, which is pivoted at f upon aslide g, which is pivotally eonneeted to an eccentric-rod h, which isreciproeated by an eccentric j on the main shaft D.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the pawl c is in engagementwith the ratchet Z) and that an upward movement of the connecting-rod hand slide will step the ratchetwheel 1) around in the direction of thearrow. This will cause rotation of the shaft y and pinion 'y' and willcause the feed-carriage to be moved longitudinally in the direction ofthe arrow in Fig. 1. It will also be obvious that if the pawl e beengaged with the ratchet d the direction of the feed will be reversed.By properly reversing the feed of the feedcarriage in the manner aboveindicated the belt is fed laterally while it is being fed forward in thedirection of its le ngth by the gripper feed-rolls, so that the line ofstitching on the belt will be zigzag or undulated, as shown at b inFig. 1. This reversing of the move ment of the feed-carriage may be donein any suitable manner; but I prefer to reverse the movement by thefollowing means: Pivoted upon the slide g is a pivoted shifter-block 7t,which is provided with a spring-pressed spur Z,which enters a notch f inthe tail of the pawl c This shifter-block is provided with a tail m,which projects downward toward the bed of the machine. Carried by thefeed-carriage is a guide-rod n. (Seen clearly in Figs. 1, 4, and 7.)Mounted upon this guide-rod is a guide-supporting block 0, through whichloosely passes ascrew-shaft p, which is also loosely supported in abracket q, mounted upon the shifter-rod. The screw-shaft 1) may beprovided with a hand-wheel 0* or other suit. ble turning device. A pairof abutments s t slide loosely upon the shifter-rod n and are tappedwith screw-threaded apertures, through which the screw-shaft passes. Thescrew-shaft is oppositely threaded in its separate sections, so that theturning of the handwheel will cause the abutments s t to approach oneanother or to separate from one another, so that the extent of movementof the feed-carriage may be regulated by this means, as will behereinafter set forth. The whole shifting mechanism just described thatis to say, the shifter-rod n with its screwshaft and abutments-moveswith the feedcarriage, and the tail m of the shifter-bar extends at alltimes into the path of movement of the abutments, so that the abutments3' 2f will strike this tail to swing the shifter-bar on its pivot tocause the pawl to be swung 011 its pivot so as to engage with one or theother of the ratchet-wheels b d.

The detailed operation of my device is as follows: YVhen it is desiredto sew a belt with zigzag stitches, the limits of the lateral feed ofthe belt are first fixed by adjusting the distance apart of theabutments s i. This, as before explained, is effected by turning thescrew-shaft p by means of the hand-wheel r. The belt is then fed to thegripper feed-rolls and guide (Z, the rotation of the main shaft Dserving to step the shaft 2' around, so as to cause the gripperfeed-rolls to rotate and feed the belt forward in the direction of itslength, the eccentric on the main cam-shaft at the same time serving tostep one of the ratchet wheels Z) or (1' around, so as to effect thelateral feed. hen the limit of movement of the lateral feed has beenreached-that is to say, when the stitching has approached as near theedge of the belt as is desired, which limit is fixed beforehand-theabutment s or t, as the case may be, contacts with the tail m of theshifter-bar It, and, swinging the same on its pivot, disengages the pawlfrom the ratchet with which it is in engagement and engages it with theopposite ratchet. The machine continuing to work, the belt is fedforward and the lateral feed is in a direction opposite to its formerdirection. lVhen the limit of movement in this lateral direction hasbeen reached, the other abutment comes in contact with the tail of theshifter-bar and again shifts the pawl into engagement with the ratchetwith which it was first engaged.

It will be observed that the shaft i acts as a shaft to rotate thefeed-roll of the machine and at the same time acts as apart of thefeed-carriage to provide the lateral feed of the belt, tending also toguide and support other parts of the device. It is by these and othermeans that the simplicity of construction and efficiency of operation inmy ma chine are attained.

Now while I have shown one form of my invention and have described thesame in positive terms, I would have it understood that I do not mean tolimit myself to the construction described and illustrated; but

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a sewing-machine, of a feeding-carriage, arack-bar carried by said feeding-carriage, two gear-wheels meshing withsaid rack-bar and adapted to move the carriage, two ratchet-wheels inthe same line having the teeth thereof extending in opposite directions,one of said ratchet-wheels being fixed upon each of the shafts whichcarry the gear-wheels, a single doublefaced pawl and means forautomatically moving and engaging said pawl with either of the saidratchet-wheels, whereby the feedin g-carriage will be fed backward andforward, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a sewing-machine, of a feeding-carriage, arack-bar carried by said feeding-carriage, two gear-wheels meshing withsaid rack-bar and adapted to move the carriage, two ratchet-wheels inthe same line having the teeth thereof extending in opposite directions,one of said ratchet-wheels being fixed upon each of the shafts whichcarry the gear-wheels, a single double-faced pawl, means forreciprocating the said pawl to rotate a ratchet-wheel, adjustable stopscarried upon said carriage and a pivoted shifter-block contacting withthe tail of the pawl and adapted to be swung upon its pivot by the stopsupon the carriage to automatically throw the pawl into engagement withone of the ratchet-wheels to move the carriage in one direction and tothrow the pawl into engagement with the other ratchet-wheel to move thecarriage in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a sewing-machine, of a feeding-carriage, arack-bar carried by said feeding-carriage, two gear-wheels meshing withsaid rack-bar and adapted to move the carriage, two ratchet-wheels inthe same line having the teeth thereof extending in opposite directions,one of said ratchet-wheels being fixed upon each of the shafts whichcarry the gear-wheels, a single doublefaced pawl, means forreciprocating the said pawl to rotate a ratchet-wheel, adjustable stopscarried upon said carriage, a single right and left handedscrew-threaded shaft for adjust ing said stops toward and away from eachother and a pivoted shifter-block contacting with the tail of the pawland adapted to be swung upon its pivot by the stops upon the carriage toautomatically throw the pawl into engagement with one of theratchet-wheels to move the carriage in one direction and to throw thepawl into engagement with the other ratchet-wheel to move the carriagein the opposite direction, substantially as described. I

4. In a machine for stitching belt-s, the combination with asewing-machine, of a feedingcarriage comprising in its structure arotary longitudinally-movable shaft upon which is mounted a roll whichwith means cooperating therewith feeds the belt in the direction of itslength when such shaft is rotated and which carries the belt laterallywith it when the shaft together with the carriage is moved, means forrotating said shaft, a rack-bar carried by said feeding-carriage, twogear-wheels meshing with said rack-bar and adapted to move the carriage,two ratchet-wheels in the same line having the teeth thereof extendingin opposite directions, one of said ratchetwheels being fixed uponeaclrof the shafts which carry the gear-wheels, a single doublefacedpawl, means for automatically moving and engaging said pawl with eitherof said ratchet-wheels, whereby the feeding-carriage will be fedbackward and forward, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for stitching belts, the combination with a sewing-machine, of a feedingcarriage comprising in its structure a rotarylongitudinallymovable shaft upon which is mounted a roll which withmeans cooperating therewith feeds the belt in the direction of itslength when such shaft is rotated and which carries the belt laterallywith it when the shaft together with the carriage is moved, aratchet-wheel splined upon said shaft, means for intermittently rotatingsaid ratchetwheel, a rack-bar carried by said feeding-carriage, twogear-wheels meshing with said rack-bar and adapted to move the carriage,two ratchet-wheels in the same line having the teeth thereof extendingin opposite directions, one of the ratchet-wheels being fixed upon eachof the shafts which carry the gearwheels, a double-faced pawl, means forreciprocating said pawl to rotate a ratchet-wheel, adjustable stopscarried upon said carriage and a pivoted shifter-block contacting withthe tail of the pawl and adapted to be swung upon its pivot by the stopsupon the carriage to automatically throw the pawl into engagement withone of the ratchet-wheels to move the carriage and its rotary andlongitudinallymovable shaft in one direction and to throw the pawl intoengagement with the other ratchet-wheel to move the carriage and itsshaft in the opposite direction substantially as described.

THOMAS A. EGAN.

lVitnesses:

GEO. E. Monsn, HARRY M. TURK.

